Fiber handling apparatus



Nov. 16, 1954 A. w. GARDES 2,694,229

FIBER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l GZ/recf G g NOV. 16, 1954 w, R E 2,694,229

' FIBER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 71 227 TUI" Gifrea 1E Gar'deg Nov. 16, 1954 A. w. GARDES 2,694,229

FIBER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Gifred [H Garaes all a, 4,4. ET 5 United States Patent FIBER HANDLING APPARATUS Alfred W. Gartles, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Honan- Crane Corporation, Lebanon, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application March 2, 1951, Serial No. 213,531

4 Claims. (Cl. 19-67) necessary to employ in connection with fiber feeding t Y and weighing machines heretofore provided electrical control systems which will periodically start and stop the driving motors of the machine in order to effect a proper sequential operation of the machines.

According to the general features of the present invention, a fiber feeding and weighing machine is provided having a continuously operable driving motor, a spiked conveyor belt being arranged in the hopper of the machine to form, together with one wall of the hopper, a recirculating passage to the hopper. A valve is used to control a discharge opening positioned superjacent the weigh box of the machine and preferably includes a pivotally hinged valve plate arranged to constitute an apron directed toward the recirculating passage when in closed position. The valve is controlled by weight responsive means actuatable by the weighing box of the machine so that continuous operation of the driving motor may be effected while appropriately controlling the amount of fibers fed into the weigh box.

The present invention further contemplates the provision on an inclined floor arranged generally normal to the spiked conveyor belt. The floor is adapted to slidably support a mass of fibers loaded in the hopper of the fiber feeding and weighing machine sov that the combined sliding movement of the fibers on the inclined floor and upward movement of the conveyor belt will impart a churning circular motion. .to the fibers, thereby greatly enhancing the physical conditioning of the fibers preparatory to the delivery thereof into the weigh box.

It is further contemplated by this invention to provide an inclined floor taking the form of a screen or some other suitable member having a plurality of openings therethrough whereby the churning movement of the mass of fibers in the hopper over the floor will produce a cleaning action tending to separate any dirt from the fibers.

The inclined. floorof the hopper portion is conveni'ently mounted in removable assembly with the casing so that either a screen-type floor or a floor having an unbroken continuous surface may be selectively used depending, for example, on the type of fiber being handled by the machine.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved fiber feeding and weighing machine having a continuously operable driving means and an improved structural arrangement to selectively control the supply of fibers delivered to a weigh box.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fiber'feeding and weighing machine having improved means therein for conditioning the fibers prior to delivery thereof to a weigh box.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved cleaning arrangement for conditioning fibers prior to delivery thereof to a weighing mechanism.

Many other features, advantages and additional objectsof .the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and to the sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of a .fiber feeding and weighing. machine incorporating the principles of my invention is shown.

As shown on the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away of a fiber feeding and weighing machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation and parts broken away of the machine in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation and parts broken away showing the detailed construction of the driving mechanism provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a removable screen member positioned in the hopper of the machine in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing an additional embodiment of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

The fiber feeding and weighing machine of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes a casing 11 having outer side walls 12 and 13 respectively, there being inner walls 14 and 15 spaced faced from the outer walls 12 and 13, respectively, to provide a hopper H adapted to receive a quantity of fibers.

Attached to the inner walls 14 and 15 are suitable angle brackets such as the angle bracket 17 shown in Figure 2, which, in turn, support a transversely extendtion 23 having formed therein a discharge opening 24 through which fibers may be directed into a weigh box indicated generally by a reference numeral 26.

The weigh box 26 is suspended from a weighing mechanism indicated generally by the reference numeral 27 and more particularly described in the copending application of Bernard E. OConnor and Robert E. King, Serial No. 91,772, filed May 5, 1949, now Patent No. 2,660,393.

Briefly, the portion of the Weighing mechanism 27 shown in Figure 1 includes a weigh bar 28 pendulously connected to a mounting bracket 29 secured to the inner wall 15 by a thin flexible suspension strap 30, the weigh bar 28, in turn, suspending the weigh box 26 by means of a thin flexible suspension strap 31. It will be understood that a similar provision is made on the other side of the machine 10 so thatthe weigh box 26 will be supported in balanced suspension.

The structural details of the weigh box structure including the advantageous provision of balanced hopper doors indicated at 32 are more particularly described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 221,- 995, filed April 20, 1951.

A valve is provided to control the discharge opening 24 and in this preferred embodiment takes the form of a valve plate 33 suitably hinged to the casing 10 by means of a pivot rod 34 journaled in the casing walls. In closed position, the valve plate 33 lies in registry with an inclined apron extension 36 cooperating with the upper portion of the partition 18 adjacent the discharge opening 24 to direct fibers toward the hopper.

The valve plate 33 is selectively moved from its closed position shown in full lines in Figure 2 to an open position shown in dotted lines, by means of a suitable motor such as a solenoid 37 (Figure 3) having a movable plunger 38 connected to a crank arm 39 and arranged to rotate the pivot rod 34 through a predetermined angular distance upon reciprocation of the plunger 38.

As is more particularly described in the copending application of Bernard E. OConnor and Robert E. King,

- Serial No. 91,772, filedMay 6, 1949, the solenoid 37 may be electrically controlled in response to the quantity of fibers received by the weigh box 26, for example, by employing in electric circuit with the solenoid 37 a weight responsive means such as a switch 40 actuated by the movement of the weigh box 28 of the weighing mechanism 27.

A conveyor, indicated generally by the reference numeral 41, is provided to carry fibers from the hopper to the discharge opening 24. More particularly, the conveyor includes a spiked conveyor belt 42, the spikes bemg indicated at 43 and being formed and disposed in the usual manner to engage and pick up fibers as the belt 42 is driven through the hopper H. The conveyor drive shaft is indicated at 44 and is journaled for rotation in the upper portion of the casing 11, the shaft 44 being provided with a driver rotor 46 over which the belt 42 may be trained. A conveyor return shaft 47 is journaled for rotation in the lower portion of the casing 11 adjacent the bottom of the partition 18 and carries a return wheel 48 over which the belt 42 may be trained. The spiked conveyor belt 42 is thus provided with two separate legs, one leg being shown at 42a which is arranged to lie in parallel spaced relationship to the partition 18 thereby to form together therewith a recirculating passage 49. The leg 42a moves downwardly through the recirculating passage 49 in reference to its orientation with respect to the hopper H of the machine 10. The other leg of the spiked conveyor belt 42 is indicated by 42b and moves upwardly through the hopper H to engage fibers placed in the hopper through the loading door 20.

As shown in Figure 2, suitable angle iron guide means 50 may be provided on the inner walls 14 and 15 to provide a track-way for the conveyor belt 42. The tension on the conveyor belt may also be selectively varied by adjusting the position of the return shaft 47, suitable adjustable journalling means 51 being connected to each of the inner walls 14 and 15 for that purpose.

To facilitate the conditioning of the fibers placed in the hopper H, an angularly inclined apron assembly forming the bottom wall of the hopper and indicated by the reference numeral 52 is provided, the apron assembly 52 being arranged in generally normal alignment to the leg 42b of the spike conveyor belt 42.

In this preferred embodiment, the apron assembly comprises a selectively removable structure. The bracket 53 is securely fastened to each of the inner walls 14 and 15 by a plurality of fasteners 54. An access door 56 is provided in the wall of the casing 11 and an apron 57, provided with retaining clip means 55 to engage the respective brackets 53, is inserted through the open door 56 into assembly with the brackets 53.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the apron 57 comprises a fiat sheet of metal having a continuous unbroken surface to provide a ramp upon which fibers loaded through the door 20 may slide toward the spiked conveyor belt 42.

It will be noted that the bottom of the apron assembly 52 is spaced from the spiked conveyor belt 42 thereby to provide an adequate passageway through which fibers from the recirculating passage 49 may pass back into the hopper H. Moreover. the action of the conveyor belt. 42, in providing an upwardly inclined component of movement, together with the action of the apron assembly 52 in providing a downwardly inclined component of motion. imparts to the fibers within the hopper H a circular churning motion indicated bv the arrows (Figure 2) so that adequate conditioning of the masses of fibers is insured.

In order to provide further for the proper conditioning of the fibers carried by the spiked conveyor belt 42, a rotary comb assemblv indicated generally by the reference numeral 58 is r vided. The c mb assemb y 58 includes a comb shaft 59 having a nluralitv of radially spaced and radially outwardly extending teeth 60 ali ned to engage the fibers carried on the leg 42b of the spiked conveyor belt 42 adjacent the end portions thereof. A stripper disk 61 is mounted between each pair of aligned teeth 60 and is carried by a support means 62 in eccentrically aligned relationshi to the shaft 59 so that fibers caught on the teeth 60 will be effectively removed and returned to the hopper H. The details of construction of the rotary comb assembly 58 are described with greater particularity in my copending application, Serial No. 218,248, filed March 29, 1951, now Patent No. 2,637,074.

The machine is further provided with a dofier mechanism indicated generally by the reference numeral 63, the mechanism 63 including a dofier shaft 64 rotatably supporting a doffer drum 66 mounting a plurality of flexible dolfer elements 67 which are adapted to remove the fibers carried by the spiked conveyor belt 42 for discharge through the opening 24 into the weigh box 26.

The dotfer shaft 64 is rotatably driven by the motor 22 through pulley belts 68 engageable with a sheave wheel 69 on the end of the doffer shaft 64. The dotfer shaft 64 also carries a gear 71 which serves to drivingly mesh with a gear 70 carried by the conveyor drive shaft 44. The rotary comb shaft 59 is, in turn, rotatably driven off of the conveyor belt drive shaft 44 by means of pulleys 72 threaded over a sheave wheel 73 carried by the drive shaft 44 and a sheave wheel 75 carried by the rotary comb drive shaft 59.

In Figure 4 is shown an alternative form of an apron assembly 52 wherein an apron 73 is provided comprising a screen having a meshed surface with openings therethrough to permit the passage of dirt carried by the fibers in the hopper H. The screen is provided with retainer means 74 to support the screen 73 in removable assembly within the casing 10.

Being arranged in inclined alignment to form the bottom wall of the hopper H, the screen 73, together with the casing wall, provides a dirt compartment 76 to which access may be conveniently gained by opening the door 56. Moreover, the churning motion imparted to the fibers by the joint action of the apron 73 and the spiked conveyor 42 will result in improved dirt removal action during the conditioning of the fibers so that a large portion of the dirt carried by the fibers will be successfully removed to the dirt compartment 76.

Figure 5 shows an additional modification which may be efiectively employed in connection with the present invention. A partition 18a is provided comprising a screen having a meshed surface with openings therethrough to permit the passage of dirt carried by the fibers. The partition 18a, being mounted in inclined position in the casing on the brackets 17, forms to gether with the casing 11 a second dirt compartment 77. Access may be gained to the dirt compartment 77 through a door 78 provided in the casing 11. Thus, the partition 18:: develops the dual function of forming with the belt 42 a recirculating passage and also assists in the conditioning of the fibers handled by the apparatus 10.

Although various minor structural modifications might be made to the preferred embodiment herein described in considerable detail for the sake of clarity only, it should be understood that I wish to embrace within the scope of this invention all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a fiber feeding and weighing machine, a casing having a hopper formed therein adapted to receive a mass of fibers and including a discharge opening adjacent thereto, a conveyor to carry fibers from the hopper to the discharge opening, a partition adjacent said conveyor and forming together therewith a recirculating passage from the discharge opening to the hopper, a valve plate movable in said opening and forming in closed position an extension of said partition to direct fibers to the recirculating passage, bracket means in said hopper, and a removable apron inserted into said hopper, said apron having clip means engaging said bracket means and supporting said apron in generally normal alignment relative to said conveyor to provide a floor for the hopper and to direct fibers toward the conveyor, said recirculating passage and said removable apron terminating at the bottom of the casing adjacent the conveyor.

2. In a fiber feeding and weighing machine, a casing having a hopper and adapted to receive a mass of fibers therein, said casing having a discharge opening, conveyor means in said hopper to carry fibers to the discharge opening, bracket means in said hopper, and a removable apron inserted into said hopper, said apron having clip means engaging said bracket means and supporting said apron in generally normal alignment relative to said conveyor to provide a floor for the hopper and to carry fibers towards the conveyor, said apron having a plurality of openings therethrough to screen dirt from the fibers as the fibers move toward the con- Y I,

3. In a fiber feeding and weighing machine, a casing having an access opening and a discharge opening spaced apart from one another in an upper portion thereof and providing a hopper therebetween, an angularly inclined conveyor in said hopper carrying fibers from a lower portion of the hopper to the discharge opening, spaced support brackets in said casing, a removable apron inserted through said access opening into said hopper, said removable apron supported by said brackets in generally normal alignment to said conveyor and forming an inclined floor for said hopper to direct fibers to the conveyor, said removable apron having a plurality of openings therethrough to screen dirt from the fibers passing thereover, and a second apron in said hopper supported by said brackets in spaced parallel alignment relative to said conveyor and adjacent to said discharge opening, said second apron together with said conveyor forming a recirculating passage from said discharge opening, said second apron having a plurality of openings therethrough to screen dirt from the recirculated fibers.

4. In a fiber feeding and weighing device, a casing having a loading opening and a discharge opening formed therein, a conveyor to carry fibers to the discharge opening, a partition adjacent said conveyor, said conveyor and said partition dividing the interior of the casing into a hopper chamber communicating with the loading opening and a first dirt compartment, said partition forming together with said conveyor, a recirculating passage adjacent said first dirt compartment and extending from said discharge opening to said hopper chamber, a valve in said discharge opening to control the flow of fibers, said valve operable to direct fibers to said recirculating passage when in closed position, said partition comprising a screen having a meshed surface to pass dirt carried by the fibers into said first dirt compartment, whereby the fibers may be conditioned during recirculation thereof, and a second partition in said casing inclined downwardly in generally normal alignment to said conveyor to direct fibers from said loading opening toward said conveyor and forming a floor for said hopper chamber and dividing said hopper chamber into a fiber storing area and a second dirt compartment subjacent said hopper chamber, said second partition comprising a screen having a meshed surface to pass dirt carried by the fibers into said second dirt compartment, said second partition cooperating with said conveyor to produce a churning movement of the fibers in the hopper chamber to additionally condition the fibers moving toward said conveyor, and separate door means for each of said first and second dirt compartments formed in said casing and providing access to each of said dirt compartments for removal of dirt from said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 159,923 Harwood Feb. 16, 1875 170,842 Freeman Dec. 7, 1875 2,009,047 Grimes July 23, 1935 2,207,407 1 Kane July 9, 1940 2,300,978 Sheppard Nov. 3, 1942 2,357,475 Kane Sept. 5, 1944 2,372,543 Bokum Mar. 27, 1945 

